No Arsenal Talks With Ozil Since February

Arsenal Put Ozil Talks On Hold

Arsenal face losing Mesut Ozil for nothing next summer after it was revealed that there have been no talks over a new contract for over six months.

Ozil is out of contract at the end of the season and he now looks almost certain to leave the club following revelations made by the German newspaper SportBild. It claims that doubts over Arsene Wenger’s future led to talks over Ozil’s contract being shelved in February. It adds that Wenger was in talks at the time with Paris Saint-Germain about succeeding Unai Emery.

SportBild also gives an insight into the kind of figures being discussed. It says that Arsenal were willing to offer Ozil €9million a year. That presumably is a nett figure and it will be paid in euros rather than pounds. It was revealed last year that the Germany international is guaranteed a minimum salary of €8.077,000 a year after tax. That’s currently the equivalent of £250,000 a week gross. A wage of €9million equates to £280,000 a week before tax.

But there have been no talks since February. Arsene Wenger signed his new deal at the end of last season and it had been expected that talks with Ozil would take place over the course of the summer. That hasn’t happened. Nor have their been any talks over a contract with a basic salary of £250,000 a week. At present that would not represent any change to Ozil’s current conditions.

Arsenal’s strategy can only be guessed at. But whereas there was interest in Alexis Sanchez from a number of clubs – Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus to name but three – there hasn’t been the same level of interest in Ozil. Turkish side Fenerbahce are known to be keen. However, they wouldn’t be able to pay the same level of salary unless they offload some of their big earners.

The assumption has always been that Ozil will move to the Super Lig giants – but towards the end of his career.